Robin's Choice
by EudaimonArisornae
Summary: After Aokiji persuades Robin to leave the Strawhat crew, only Franky can figure out the reason why she left-and what only he can do to convince her to return. Franky x Robin
1. Chapter 1

Title: Robin's Choice

Rating: T

Characters: Franky/Robin

Chapter: 1 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Warning: Spoiler warning through the Enies Lobby arc, which ends around episode 324 or so.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER ONE<p>

Franky leaned over the rail of the Thousand Sunny, staring at the island where the Strawhat crew was currently docked. At least a dozen other ships shared the harbor with them. The port was filled with shops and businesses that catered to sailors, and it was clear that many passing travelers were taking advantage of the ample trade.

So intent was Franky's gaze on the landscape, he did not notice Chopper standing next to him, staring apprehensively through the rails, until the meek reindeer started to speak.

"Have you seen Robin?" he asked timidly, his voice tinged with concern.

"Nah, I haven't seen her since we docked," Franky replied carefully, his voice unusually flat and unexpressive.

Chopper grasped the rails tightly. "When do you think she'll come back?"

"Haven't got a clue," Franky responded.

The reindeer seemed unusually nervous, fidgeting as he chattered at Franky. "I think she's been gone a couple of hours. I thought she was going to tell me if she went to the town."

"Well, it's not like we were planning on leaving at any particular time, so it'll be just fine. When everybody is back, we'll figure out what to do." Franky pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes, and turned toward Chopper. He did his best to muster a big grin.

Chopper returned the smile weakly, and then let out a deep sigh.

Franky looked down at Chopper. He was a bit taken aback to see the concerned look on the young doctor's face—it almost looked like fear.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Franky told him, giving him a reassuring pat on the top of his hat. "That woman can take care of herself, and this doesn't exactly look like the kind of place where we'd find trouble."

"It's not that." Chopper fidgeted again. "Do you think... do you think Robin has been acting strangely lately?" He looked up at Franky with wide, terrified eyes.

With great effort, Franky managed to smile at Chopper disarmingly, and shook his head from side to side. "You shouldn't worry so much," he told him, purposely evading the question.

"If something is wrong, I hope Robin understands we'd do anything to help her, no matter what," Chopper said fervently. "We're her nakama, after all."

"She knows that," Franky said quietly, shifting his gaze back to the town.

"Right, of course," Chopper said, nodding. He looked up at Franky again. "But where could she be? When I saw you standing here for so long, I kinda thought you were waiting for her."

"Nah, I'm just passing the time," Franky lied, trying to keep his tone nonchalant. "But really, Tanuki, I don't think you should worry anymore."

Chopper nodded slowly, as if trying to agree with his statement. "I know that, I guess. I just feel like lately she's felt kind of... far away." He furrowed his brow. "I can't explain it very well, but she seems so sad sometimes, and I have to try to hard just to make her smile. I don't want Robin to feel miserable."

"The way I see it," Franky speculated, "is that you can't take something that's been broken that long and expect it to get fixed right away." He tightened his jaw immediately after the words slipped out of his mouth. He hadn't meant to be so frank.

"Huh?" Chopper asked him. "What do you meant, Robin's broken?"

"You're the doctor," he said gravely. "You tell me."

"She _is _healthy, though. Broken, broken..." the reindeer repeated quietly to himself. "What am I missing?"

"Hey, she probably is just fine, and she'll be back very soon, and we'll just feel silly for even thinking twice about it. We just gotta wait it out."

"You're going to keep watching for her, right?"

"I'm not watching for her," Franky told Chopper again, a bit too defensively. "This is just where I feel like standing."

"Oi, Franky," Sanji's voice suddenly appeared behind him, much more closely that he expected. Franky turned around, a bit startled.

"Huh?" Franky asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Just need a quick word with you." Sanji looked down at Chopper. "Chopper, would you mind giving us a minute?"

"Oh… Okay," Chopper replied, his disappointment apparent. "I'll get out of your way," he said sadly as he shuffled away.

After Chopper's sullen departure, Sanji pulled a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips.

"I think you hurt the poor tanuki's feelings," Franky pointed out when the reindeer was out of earshot.

Sanji lit a match, raised his hand up to his face to block the wind, and touched the flame against the tip of his misshapen cigarette. When the end glowed crimson, he shook the match until the flame extinguished and tossed it over the edge of the ship, into the sea below.

"I don't think you're the person who should criticize me for hurting someone's feelings," Sanji replied frigidly.

"Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Franky shot back. He crossed his arms and turned toward Sanji defensively.

Sanji ignored his aggressive posture. He rested his elbows on the rail of the ship and leaned forward, staring forward blankly. "You should know exactly what it means."

Franky tensed. "Look, I know you've been pissed off at me lately, but I don't wanna get into it with you. I don't get why you're trying to pick a fight with me."

Sanji sighed, still gazing toward the town. "I'm not here to fight with you, either."

"Yeah, well, then you better tell me what's going on," Franky told him sharply.

He puffed on his cigarette thoughtfully. "It's about Robin-chan," Sanji said finally.

Franky clenched his jaw.

"I've been unhappy with you for all of the time you spend with Robin-chan. I don't know exactly what's going on between the two of you, but whatever's happening, I don't like it. In fact, it downright pisses me off that she's taken such a liking to you. But if it's Robin-chan's desire, I can overlook that. But there's one thing I can't get past." He turned toward Franky, his eyes burning.

"I won't forgive you for leaving a lady in distress," Sanji declared darkly.

"Huh?" Franky crossed his arms again. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Sanji's face flashed anger for moment. His brow twisted unpleasantly, and he clenched his hands. But the anger dispersed almost immediately, and Sanji let out a deep sigh, running his hand through his flaxen hair. "Because I care so much about Robin, I'll just tell you."

Franky stared at him incredulously.

"You might've noticed I tend to show more a lot more affection toward Nami-san than Robin-chan," Sanji said carefully.

He snorted. "Don't know about that—it seems like you harass them both a lot."

Sanji's brow twitched, but he ignored the comment and continued. "I'm sure everyone probably assumes that it's because I'm more attracted to Nami-san or something along those lines." He took a long drag on his rapidly shrinking cigarette.

Franky nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess that sounds about right."

"Well, whether or not it's true, it's better for Robin-chan if they do. When I approach those women, I might seem like I don't have much control, but in reality I'm always conscious of it."

"I don't know why you're telling me this, but—"

"This is difficult," Sanji cut him off, glaring angrily. "It's against my better judgment, but I'm going to place a bit of trust in you right now, Franky. What I'm telling you is something I don't want everybody else to know about because it might hurt Robin-chan."

The blonde man puffed on his cigarette, bowing his head in thought. Franky stared at him impatiently.

After taking a few more puffs, Sanji finally continued. "I've tried to pursue a relationship with both of those women. And I don't just mean the flirting—I've gone after them with everything I had." He bowed his head slightly in shame.

"Nami-san rejects me without hesitation. No matter what I do to try to win her over, she always blows me of in the end. Sometimes she acts angry at me, but other times she plays along. She'll flirt back, lure me in until I think I almost have her, that this time she's surely changed her mind... Then she'll toss me back out as though I were trash."

Sanji shrugged helplessly, a faint smile on his face while he spoke of her. "I'm not trying to say Nami-san is a cruel woman. She just understands exactly how hard she can push me. She knows that no matter how many times I lose, I'm always still willing to play the game, but that bit of sport is all it'll ever be. Nami-san's a woman who knows what she wants, and right now…"

He trailed off for a moment, and took the final drag of his cigarette. He flicked the butt of the side of the deck, rubbing his temple with his other hand.

"Right now, I'm not what she wants," Sanji said slowly, with great difficulty.

Despite how irritated he had been with the cook a few moments earlier, Franky was moved by Sanji's difficult admission. He could feel tears welling in his eyes. He bit his lip, trying his best to quell his emotions so he could hear the rest of what Sanji had to say.

"Even if I'm not what she wants, I'll still keep trying. And no matter what I do—no matter how far I go—Nami-san is unfazed by it. She has an inner strength that most people could only dream of having." He smiled again, groping at his coat pocket. A moment later, he produced another cigarette that looked like it had been stepped on a couple of times. After lighting it, Sanji continued.

"Robin-chan is also a strong, confident woman," he went on. "But when I tried the same advances with Robin-chan, it was like watching someone remove the scaffold from an unfinished wall. She could barely keep from crumbling."

Franky closed his eyes in contemplation. "Yeah, I think I might know what you mean."

Sanji pressed his lips together grimly. "When she pushed me away, she seemed almost terrified. Her calm, collected composure and her confidence… it's like it vanished instantly."

"Like a different women entirely," Franky muttered.

"Right," Sanji agreed somberly. "I've seen very few women react that way to a man's advances… But those women had all been deeply hurt."

The two men sat in silence for a few moments, lost in thought.

"The first time, I was just stunned. I had no idea what was wrong. After a few more attempts, I realized that I was definitely the trigger. I tried to refrain from flirting with Robin-chan too often. I couldn't imagine what made her feel so terrified-but whatever it was, she wouldn't tell me, and I wasn't going to force it out of her.

"When we rescued her at Enies Lobby," Sanji continued, "I remember thinking 'ah, so that's what happened in her past. That's why she's so afraid to get too close to anyone.' But it didn't take long to figure out that even after all that had happened, even after we had proven beyond any doubt that she was our nakama, she still couldn't handle any serious romantic pursuits." He shook his head. "Even my most charming, gentlemanly wooing made no difference."

A wave of jealously passed over him, and Franky found himself unintentionally glaring at the cook. "Whether you're being a gentleman or not, you shouldn't treat every girl like you're in love with them," he snapped.

Sanji chuckled in amusement, casting a sideways glance toward him. The cook grinned widely, and yet there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes. "Ah, but didn't you know, Franky? I'm in love with every beautiful woman I see."

The blonde-haired man turned his attention back toward the distant scenery. He took several drags on his cigarette before speaking again. "Maybe because of how I am, Robin-chan couldn't trust me."

Sanji suddenly turned his whole body toward Franky, and faced him dead-on. "And yet, she trusts you."

Franky bit the inside of his cheek, trying to mask his expression. He could feel a lump in his throat.

This reaction was not unnoticed by Sanji. He stared at Franky, studying him, his cigarette clenched between his teeth.

"So," Sanji finally began to speak again. "I've admitted a lot more than I ever wanted to, and I've told you some things I didn't want anyone else to know. You're not obligated to tell me anything in return, but I will say this… if there's anything you can do to give Robin-chan some relief from whatever painful thing she's going through, you damn well better do it."

He stared at Franky intentely. His gaze was calm, but threatening. "If something happens to Robin and you did nothing to prevent it, I won't forgive you."

Franky clenched his jaw. Although he did not like to let such a threat pass without any retort, he also did not want to say anything to betray Robin. Wordlessly, Franky turned away from Sanji and headed toward the dock.

"Where are you going?" Sanji called after him.

"Suddenly, I feel like taking a walk," Franky called back, not bothering to turn around.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Robin's Choice

Rating: T

Characters: Franky/Robin

Chapter: 2 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Warning: Spoiler warning through the Enies Lobby arc, which ends around episode 324 or so.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER TWO<p>

The island was small and dull. As Franky had observed from onboard the Thousand Sunny, the location served mainly as a port for trade. The residents were neither prosperous nor poor. The island also seemed to be a relatively safe place, despite the frequent visits from pirates and the lack of a marine presence.

But Franky could have cared less about these fleeting observations. None of it mattered unless it could help him find Robin.

As he briskly walked past the shops, Franky noticed an inviting bookstore. He glanced at it for a moment, but did not slow his pace. Although the store contained dozens of high shelves that could have obscured even Robin's height, it would be a waste of time to look inside. She wasn't there. He knew where she was—or at least, what kind of place he was looking for.

As he remembered the instructions that were given to Robin, Franky felt he could almost hear the icy chill that accompanied the baritone voice of Aokiji, one of the feared Marine admirals.

"_I'll wait in an abandoned house near the highest point of that island. It won't be visible from the town, but there's only one path you can take to reach the peak, and there won't be any other buildings you'll encounter."_

As Franky looked around at the terrain, it was obvious where he needed to go. Beyond the shops and buildings, the land started to rise, and ahead of him was a small, jagged mountain covered in thick greenery. He figured that if he kept walking in that direction, he would find the path that Aokiji had mentioned. His direction set, Franky quickened his pace-and stopped only once, when he overhead a snippet of conversation that caught his interest.

"Ahh, what? She wanted to go up there? You didn't tell her the way, did you?" A plump, middle-aged woman asked shrilly, her tone disapproving.

"Well, of course I told her. It's not like it's a secret," the younger woman replied, thrusting a hand in the air defensively.

"But it's dangerous—" the older woman interjected.

"Don't you think I didn't warn her," the young woman interrupted sharply. "I told her that even our bravest men always go up there in groups, armed to the teeth, and that it's no place for a woman to be, especially alone."

"Surely she decided not to go up there after that!"

The young woman shook her head. "No, she just thanked me and walked off. I called after her again, telling her she'd get herself killed, but she just said 'Don't worry—I'm hardly defenseless.' I was just... I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't even say another word to her."

"How peculiar," the older woman murmured, shaking her head from side to side as though she didn't want to believe what she had heard.

Franky had heard enough. _They've gotta be talking about Robin_, he thought to himself. He was curious as to what the danger of the mountain was, but like Robin, he felt that whatever threat lay ahead, it probably did not apply to him. Instead, his mind drifted to Robin. He quickened his pace. He had hesitated for far too long, and he feared he may already be too late.

Thinking back to his earliest conversation with Sanji, Franky was only slightly surprised that the cook had noticed the strange dynamic between the two of them. For quite some time, Franky had harbored feelings for Robin that went far beyond how he felt about the rest of his nakama.

When the rest of the crew was nowhere to be found, Franky and Robin always seemed to wind up together. Even when Franky made a conscious effort to avoid her, he would end up stumbling across her path. The mysterious woman seemed to sleep for only a couple of hours a night. His sleeping patterns were also sporadic, and so, they spent many nights in each other's company.

Sometimes he would step onto the deck for a bit of fresh air, and find her sitting in a lounge chair, sipping coffee and reading a book. Other times, as he worked late in his workshop, she would slip in, as silently as a cat, and take a seat in a chair in the corner until he finally noticed her (so often, in fact, that he often refered to the chair as "Robin's chair" in his mind). But although he sometimes tried to avoid running into her, he just as often sought her out. He would tell himself that he was just making the rounds, but really, it would be an excuse to visit the kitchen, the library, or another place the dark-haired woman liked to frequent.

Franky came to understand he was drawn to her, and sometimes, he suspected that she was also drawn to him. From the first time he spoke to Robin, and realized that she wasn't the monster he had always believed, she had intrigued him like no other woman had before-perhaps like no other woman could.

He thought about what Sanji had told him. It was true that although they often seemed to seek out each other's company, Robin's responses often began to falter when the conversation became a bit too flirtatious. But sometimes, he felt like instead of anxiety, she actually seemed to be enjoying herself.

An honest smile. A content sigh. A delighted laugh. These were rare, but every time he got to glimpse it, his heart would begin to race. Franky inhaled sharply as he remembered one such night, when it was almost more than he could take.

* * *

><p>Franky and Robin sat together on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, sipping their respective drinks (hot coffee for her, and cold cola for him). They chatted playfully while awaiting the sunrise, when Robin began to laugh.<p>

He felt his breath catch in his throat as her irresistable laughter ringing out like a sweet melody, entrancing him.

Franky had seen Robin let down her guard before. He had seen her shed honest tears, and cry out for help. He had rescued her, held her in his arms as they escaped incredible danger. Yet in those harrowing moments, when all the curtains that concealed her were stripped away, it was anguish that was visible. Now, Robin's guard was let down once again, but he got to see something truly special—her raw happiness.

As a man, Franky found himself unable to resist his urge. As her supplicating laughter faded, he leaned forward in his chair toward her, gently brushed his hand on the side of her face, and kissed her.

For the briefest moment, she succumbed, and he swore that he felt her hand gently reach toward him, as if to pull him closer. Then suddenly, she jerked away, and he could see from the conflicted expression in her eyes that the walls were back in place, and the gates had been locked and sealed.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, raising one hand toward her, as if he were trying to convince himself to stop. "I shouldn't have done that."

She averted her gaze, her eyes downcast. "I think I should—"

"I'm going back to my room," he interrupted. He didn't want her to feel like she had to flee. "I've got a few things to do. You stay and enjoy the sunrise."

Franky retreated to his quarters quickly, and if she tried to stop him, he didn't hear her words. He quickly closed his door behind him, and clutched his pounding chest. It was as thought he could still feel the electricity of the kiss on his lips.

* * *

><p>Franky shook his head rapidly, trying to force his attention back to the present moment. As he suspected, heading beyond the outskirts of the town toward the mountain had led him to a single path. It snaked its way through the dense forest covering the lower parts of the mountain.<p>

The route was obviously not traveled often, as it was overgrown with thick shrubbery. A short way into his ascent, he came across a fallen tree, which he opted to pick up and cast aside, rather than try to climb over it. It made a tremendous thump as it hit the ground.

After that moment, he became aware of a presence. He could not tell what it was, but someone—or something—was definitely following him from a careful distance. Franky continued onward warily, ready for an attack at any moment. Still, he could not quell his restless thoughts of Robin.

* * *

><p>After their kiss, Franky had been careful not to wander around late at night. On those frequent occasions when the crew stayed up late into the night, drinking and dancing and having a jovial time, Franky cautiously retreated from the revelry before the rest of the crew had dispersed. If any opportunity arose that seemed like it would end with he and Robin being alone together, he made an excuse to be elsewhere.<p>

Franky could easily see her discomfort around him, which she wore openly. Even in front of others, she regarded him with great reservation. He did not want to make Robin feel any more more vexed than she already was.

But as time went by, it was she who came to him. One night, as Franky fervently worked in his workshop, lost in his latest project, he was surprised to look up to see Robin sitting in a chair in the corner, where she had mysteriously appeared many times before. She leaned back in the chair warily, her intelligent eyes watching him with interest.

"Nico Robin," he said with a start, jumping to his feet and nearly banging his head on a protruding plank.

"Good evening, Franky," she nodded in return, the faintest smile playing at the corner of her lips.

He stared at her for a moment, stunned that she was actually there. Stunned, yet delighted. "I didn't hear you come in."

Robin tilted her head slightly. "You usually don't," she replied playfully.

Franky opened his mouth to speak, but realized he had no witty retort. He brushed a nervous drop of sweat from his forehead.

"Don't stop what you're doing because of me," she told him. "But perhaps, when you take a break, you'd like to come talk."

He nodded with uncertainty, and ducked back to where she could not see his face, trying to collect his thoughts. After pretending to fiddle with something for several minutes—in which he accomplished nothing at all—Franky came to a simple conclusion: he was going to ignore the elephant in the room. Robin seemed collected again, and he didn't want to rattle that bit of harmony she had regained within herself by bringing up the kiss.

Franky took a seat near her, and they began to chat…. And within minutes, his resolve was forgotten. Before he knew it, an awkward apology started to tumble out of his mouth.

"It was really stupid of me to do that. Sometimes I just get so caught up, and I do whatever I want to without thinking about it. I should've stopped myself—"

"Shh, now that's enough," Robin said, pressing a finger to his lips to silence him. Franky felt his heart start to pound wildly.

"I didn't come here for an apology, Franky," Robin said carefully, taking great efforts to keep her voice calm and even. "You should realize that if I had any ill-feelings toward you, I wouldn't have come at all. I'm not angry." She withdrew her finger from his lips, and for a brief moment, grasped his hand.

He looked down, confirming that Robin's slender hand was indeed wrapped around his own. He tightened his grip on it, not wanting her to pull away.

Robin looked up at him, then cast her gaze downward, avoiding his eyes. Although she smiled faintly, her gaze was filled with sadness. "I hope you can understand that I will never be a normal woman," she said, her tone low but firm. For the briefest moment, the careful smile disappeared, and an expression of agony flickered across her face. Robin pulled her hand away, and crossed her arms in front of her protectively.

As much as Franky longed to reach out and grab her hand again, he restrained himself. He also didn't question her cryptic remark, despite how badly he wanted to. He was just relieved that he could be this close to her again.

* * *

><p>From thereon, their encounters were a series of electrifying touches and flickers of intimacy sprinkled in their everyday conversations. A tender touch. A meaningful look. They even shared a kiss on a few occasions after that. But, sometimes after these tender moments, Robin repeated her same morose warning… <em>I will never be a normal woman.<em>

Franky understood that Robin's words were deeply engraved into her psyche, and they were robbing her of being able to feel any kind of intimacy. As he grimly continued up the mountain path, he considered that trauma, and why Robin was letting it lead her astray—leading her away from her crew, once again.

He wasn't the most intuitive guy, but she was hardly the first woman he had encountered with deep scars. For those other women, he may have shown them some kindness, but he never went out of his way to interfere. Much like Sanji felt like he shouldn't push too hard with Robin, with those other women, Franky left it just wasn't his place.

But Robin was a much different case. He felt a connection with her that he had never felt before. It went beyond her being a friend, beyond being nakama. This woman, who for much of his life he had regarded as a dangerous enemy, made him feel something unprecedented, and though he may have been a bit arrogant for thinking it, he believed he was the only man who had been able to move her.

Sanji said that Robin had immediately closed herself off when he had made a serious advance; Franky had seen that same reaction directed at him, but Franky had also seen her try to open up to him—dare he say it—romantically.

The air had grown a little bit cooler as he continued onward. Despite his wandering mind, he had remained guarded, and his caution paid off. When a nearby thicket trembled noisily, he turned around, instinctively blocking the mysterious assailant with his right forearm just in the nick of time.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Robin's Choice

Rating: T

Characters: Franky/Robin

Chapter: 3 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Warning: Spoiler warning through the Enies Lobby arc, which ends around episode 324 or so.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER THREE<p>

Franky blocked with his right arm, and was surprised to see that the attacker was not human, but rather an enormous dog-like beast, nearly the size of a small horse. The husky creature bounded toward him, and sunk his teeth into his arm—or at least tried to. With a loud _clack_, the beast's teeth slammed on hard metal, and it fell back, stunned.

Three more of the beasts sprung out of the brush. Franky punched them away with minimal effort, trying mostly to keep them from biting at the more sensitive flesh on his back. The foliage shuddered again, and as he elbowed one beast with his left arm, he aimed his right arm toward the attacker hidden in the trembling bush.

"_Strong Right_!" he shouted, firing his fist toward the unknown assailant. Knuckles connected squarely with something fleshy, and another beast felt to the ground with a whimper.

In a few minutes, seven of the beasts were laying unconscious around him. "Huh, so that's what those gals in the town were talking about now," Franky muttered to himself. Man-eating beasts weren't a huge threat to him, but he could see why the average person wouldn't dare traverse the mountain alone.

He smiled faintly to himself, thinking about how Robin must have handled the poor canine-like creatures. As he walked onward, he almost expected to find the ground littered with mutts with snapped necks.

Robin could handle wild beasts, but he knew that even if Robin had infinite power and strength, Aokiji was one person who she probably couldn't defeat.

Franky clenched his jaw as he recalled the conversation he overhead between Robin and the man who was so deeply entwined in the horrors of her past.

* * *

><p>The crew had retired hours earlier, but sleep was not coming to Franky. He decided to head to the deck, hoping that some summer air might help him relax. Yet despite the warm climate they were in, Franky met with a biting cold as he stepped out onto the deck of the Thousand Sunny.<p>

He glanced up at the dark night sky, wondering if a storm was approaching, but there were no telltale clouds in the inky blackness. As he was about to walk around the corner, still gazing upward, a low, rumbling voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"You understand you should come with me, don't you?" the voice murmured. Franky cautiously peered around the corner. A tall man with curly black hair wearing a white coat was standing near the edge of the ship, talking to Robin. His posture was relaxed, and as he continued to speak, his tone was almost bored, despite the persuasive meaning behind his words.

"I'm the only one who will ever truly see you. Your entire life, I've watched you… Witnessed you at your best, and at your worst. I know more about you than anyone could possibly know. And still, I feel this way." The man's hand was outstretched toward Robin's cheek as he spoke, although he could not quite tell if he was touching her face or not. Her posture was rigid, as though she desperately wanted to back away, but she did not move.

"I need to consider it," she replied finally, her voice sounding strained, her dejected gaze meeting the ground.

"You'll never have that future if you stay here," the man continued, sliding his hand downard until it rested on Robin's shoulder.

A surge of jealousy nearly made Franky launch himself at the mysterious man, but as he was about to reveal himself, the man turned so that his face was visible.

Franky stopped, his jaw dropping open in shock. He knew that face. This man was one of the marine admirals, Aokiji. He felt a chill run down his spine, although Franky did not think that it was due to the drop in temperature from the admiral's presence. Franky knew was a threat this man was to them all—and also, his role in Robin's past torments.

"I understand that you need time, though. It's a sudden proposition," Aokiji rumbled softly. "I'll await your answer at the next island." He lazily beckoned toward the open water ahead of them. "If you continue on this route, you'll pass an island in about a day. It's a common place for ships to stop and stock up on goods.

"When you get there, I'll wait in an abandoned house near the highest point of that island. It won't be visible from the town, but there's only one path you can take to reach the peak, and there won't be any other buildings you'll encounter. If you come, then I'll know your answer."

Aokiji leaned forward, bending his face low toward her, until he was mere inches from her face. Robin flinched and clenched her eyes shut. Aokiji hesitated for a moment, a troubled look crossing his face as he beheld her expression. Then he released his grip on her shoulder and languidly backed away. "I apologize. You said you need time. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

Then the admiral departed, and Franky sat on the ground in quiet bewilderment. Lost in thought, wondering just what the exchange between Robin and Aokiji had meant, he failed to notice the sound of approaching footsteps.

Robin saw him as soon as she rounded the corner. Her eyebrows flickered upward in surprise, as she started at him with wide eyes, her jaw hanging open slightly. Then her face reddened, and she quickly turned around and ran in the other direction.

"Wait!" Franky called after her, jumping to his feet. "Nico Robin… Robin!" He called after her, running to catch up with the fleeing woman.

Franky grabbed her shoulder, stopping her dead in her tracks, and swung her around to face him.

"What was that about?" he demanded, gripping her arms tightly so she could not easily slip away. But when he saw the tears pouring down her cheeks, he loosened his hold.

Robin fell to her knees, unable to support herself, and Franky quickly reacted to try to soften her fall. He knelt in front of her, holding her firmly as though he were afraid she may collapse entirely. Her body shook violently as she tried to suppress the sound of her sobs. Franky leaned forward and gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close embrace. He was slightly surprised when, instead of pulling away, Robin buried her face in his chest, still trying to quell her cries.

The violent tremors eventually turned to small quakes, and then finally stopped entirely. She pulled away from him, and reluctantly, he released his hold. They faced each other, still kneeling on the ground, and her gaze hesitantly met his.

"Please forget whatever you heard, Franky," she finally spoke.

"I can't just do that because you tell me to," he replied. "Whatever that guy told you, there can't be a good reason for you to leave here. I don't know what the hell he was talking about, but there's absolutely no way you should go with him."

Robin smiled forcedly and looked downward, her dark hair falling into her face. "You say that not understanding the full breadth of my past," she replied.

"You told us all about your past—"

"You only heard a small bit," she interjected. "You know about Ohara. There was a long period of time between when Ohara as destroyed and I joined this crew. That man is the only person who knows it all."

"That doesn't mean he can get away with threatening you with it. You know that I, and everybody else here, will do anything protect you. No matter what he says, what threats he puts out there, don't do it."

"You don't understand…" she started to say, shaking her head from side to side. Then she stopped, took a deep breath, and looked him square in the eyes. "You're right, Franky," she said finally, her expression unreadable.

"He threatened these guys before to get to you, and they went against the world government to get you back. If we can get through that once, we'll do it again and again. Don't even think about going with him. No matter what he says he'll do to the crew, we'll go up against anything for you."

Robin nodded slowly. "I won't go with him to protect the crew."

* * *

><p>As he continued the ascent of the mountain, those words gnawed at Franky. He had believed Robin was being truthful—yet she had gone to Aokiji anyway. Maybe she was just a good liar. But maybe, just maybe, he had misunderstood the context of Aokiji's words. He played them over again and again in his head, but could not make heads or tails of it.<p>

When Robin had disappeared from the ship earlier, Franky had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He _was_ watching for her when Chopper had approached him. And Sanji had seen right through it, even though Franky was certain the cook couldn't have known about the conversation with Aokiji.

He contemplated the conversation with Sanji, and how he admitted that he, the pursuer of many women, had noticed the deep disturbance within Robin.

Franky thought of Robin's touch on his hand again. _"I will never be a normal woman,"_ she had said.

Then he silently scolded himself. Robin's sad words, Sanji's observation… None of these would help. He had to figure out what the marine admiral had said to Robin to frightened her enough to go to him.

Really, nothing Aokiji had said struck Franky as terribly threatening. He assumed that he had missed that part of the conversation, but still, he considered Aokiji's cold words again, hoping for even the tiniest fragment of a clue.

"_I'm the only one who will ever truly see you. Your entire life, I've watched you… Witnessed you at your best, and at your worst. I know more about you than anyone could possibly know. And still, I feel this way."_

Even if Aokiji had told Robin that the crew was in danger or that he would reveal a part of her past she did not want anyone else to know unless she went with him, it seemed like a strange way to intimidate someone—particularly the last past.

_"And still, I feel this way,"_

Then suddenly, the lightbulb flickered on in his mind—accompanied by a horrible lurching in his stomach. He has been so fixated on the idea of Aokiji threatening the crew, he hadn't even noticed the obvious truth right in front of him.

Franky broke into a run. "Idiot!" he shouted at himself through gritted teeth, furious at himself for how dense he had been, as he took the difficult mountain terrain at the fastest pace he could muster.

Aokiji had not asked for Robin to come to him to protect her crew. Franky didn't hear any threats because the admiral hadn't _made_ any threats. He didn't tell her he was going to kill her crew or send a marine fleet after them.

The admiral wasn't threatening Robin so she would turn herself over to save the crew. Aokiji wanted to save Robin herself_. _Despite everything he knew about her past, he wanted to be with her. _Aokiji was in love with her._

Then he remembered how the admiral had leaned in close to Robin, until his face was just inches from hers, right before he left the ship. "Dumbass, he was even trying to kiss her!" Franky yelled at himself.

A small, broken down house appeared in the distance, and Franky knew he had reached his destination. He quickened his pace even more, praying Robin would still be there.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Robin's Choice

Rating: T

Characters: Franky/Robin

Chapter: 4 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Warning: Spoiler warning through the Enies Lobby arc, which ends around episode 324 or so.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER FOUR<p>

Franky stood in front of the run-down house, panting heavily. He pressed his ear against the door, but the only sound he could hear was his own heart hammering in his chest.

_I might be too late_, he panicked.

After hesitating for an instant, he finally opened the door and stepped inside.

The house was small. The front door opened into a cramped living room that was bereft of any furniture except for a broken down table, two rickety chairs, and a threadbare sofa. There was an archway that led to what he assumed was a kitchen, and a single closed door. As he approached it, he heard the low rumble of a man's voice that had to belong to Aokiji.

With no further hesitation, Franky walked toward the door and slammed it with a powerful fist. The door practically disintegrated, and countless splinters burst forward. Franky grimly stepped inside, his eyes rapidly sweeping across the room, looking for Robin. When he saw her, he was instantly filled with rage. With a shout of anger, he poised himself for battle.

Robin was laying on her back on an old bed, her shoes discarded on the floor, and her shirt partially unbuttoned. Aokiji was leaning over her, straddling her, his mouth pressed against her neck. Her head was turned to one side, her joylessness apparent. Her eyes were closed tightly, her mouth distorted into a grimace. Although she made no effort to stop his advances, she looked miserable.

The marine transitioned from his position on top of Robin to his feet almost instantaneously, but the image of Aokiji mounted over Robin was already burned in Franky's mind. The blue-haired man clenched his jaw, boiling with anger, and sent his right fist speeding toward Aokiji's head while bellowing, "_Strong Right!_"

Before he could feel the satisfying connection with the marine's face, however, a wall of ice appeared, blocking his way. The weight of Franky's fist cracked the surface, but did not quite break it down.

"_Fresh Fire_!" Franky yelled, taking a deep breath and blowing a stream of flames toward the ice. Then he punched it again, and this time, the wall crumbled.

"Franky, stop!" Robin screamed, now sitting upright on the bed, her hands clutching the side of the mattress tightly. "You're no match for him!"

"Hah, you think I didn't know that?" Franky shouted back at her. He stared at Aokiji, who was nonchalantly leaning against the wall as he sized up his opponent. The admiral was not even threatened enough by his attacks to strike a fighting pose.

"If you know you can't beat him, don't do this!" she cried, her knuckles turning white from grasping the mattress so tightly. "You need to go before you get yourself killed!"

"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere," Franky said calmly. "I may not be any match for him, but that doesn't mean I can't defeat him."

"But it does," Aokiji rumbled, his face expressionless.

"I've got to win, because I owe it to Nico Robin. I'm gonna show her that you're not the only man who will ever _see_ her," he sneered. "A man doesn't need to make a feel woman feel like she's worthless to get her to fall for him."

Aokiji's expression darkened. "I see you're here to put this woman through further distress, then."

"What do you mean by that? I'm here to tell her that I—"

"Stop," the admiral commanded with such force that Franky could not help but obey. Any trace of apathy had disappeared from Aokiji's face, and was replaced with wrath.

He stepped toward Franky, and the blue-haired man raised a fist, as if threatening to hit him if he came any closer.

Suddenly, Franky became aware of movement in his peripheral vision. He glanced in Robin's direction, and realized a wall of ice was forming between them, separating him from her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Franky shouted angrily.

"Preventing her from hearing any careless words," Aokiji replied. "That woman has been through too much suffering, and I won't let her endure another moment of it."

Franky looked at him with repulsion. He had never had the desire to pummel someone so deeply. Without further hesitation, he unleashed an attack with all his might—but against the wall of ice, and not Aokiji. "You think you're gonna protect her by not letting her hear what anyone else has to say? That's just selfish."

He bashed the ice as fiercely as he could, and at the end of his assault, the ice wall crumbled enough for Franky's voice to reach Robin again.

"Nico Robin," Franky shouted, and she rushed toward the opening.

"Please, Franky, leave here now, before this gets any worse," Robin called out to him. "You have to go—"

"Robin, I'm in love with you," he shouted at the top of his lungs, drowning out her warning. Knowing that Aokiji would silence him at any moment, Franky continued shouting everything on his mind, without hesitation or restraint.

"If you really want me to leave, then I'll go, but whatever this guy had told you—it's _lies_. There's nothing about your past that can't be forgiven, especially if somebody loves you. If you're in love with this guy, then I'll let you go with him without another word." He said the last line through a clenched jaw, as the words were difficult to say. "But if you're doing this because you feel like he's the only person who's ever gonna see you as a woman, you're dead wrong."

Franky had felt Aokiji's attack as he spoke, and as he finished his confession, he knew it was too late. Cold seeped into his body from his feet upward. He looked down and saw that his lower half was already completed encased, and the ice was rapidly threatening to cover the rest of his body.

It didn't matter though; that his words had reached Robin was far more important than a counterattack. He futilely attempted to use his _Weapons Left_ attack, but the ice reformed too quickly, and soon both arms were covered.

"Please, just let him go, Aokiji," Robin shouted. "He said he'd leave!"

The admiral ignored her plea, his frigid gaze locked on Franky.

"Aokiji!_"_ she shrieked again.

Franky struggled, but he could no longer move his body. In a few seconds, he would be completely covered. He tried to get one last glimpse at Robin, but her back was turned to him. She was rushing toward a white coat hanging in the corner of the room. Although the ice distorted his view, he could make out the yellow shoulder pads and bold, black text on the back—Aokiji's admiral coat.

Robin grabbed something from the inside of it, and ran toward Aokiji.

"_Kuzan!_" she screamed at the top of her lungs, one arm raised near the side of her head. Franky could not quite tell what she was doing.

"Stop it, right now," Robin screamed again, "or I'll-!"

The ice finally encased Franky's entire head, and he missed the rest of what Robin said. But suddenly, the ice stopped forming, and began to crumble away from his head.

"_No!_" he heard Aokiji roar, his voice booming like a thunderclap. It was the most inflection Franky had heard in his voice. "I'll release him, just please, _put it down_."

Franky felt the tight coffin of ice around his body loosen, as though it were being peeled off of him. When he could move again, he turned toward Robin, and saw that she was holding a pistol to her temple. Aokiji's marine pistol. Franky felt his chest tighten.

But as soon as Robin saw Franky was free from the ice, she lowered the gun unsteadily, her hand trembling.

Aokiji slumped back against the wall, sliding downward until he fell into a sitting position. Franky could not quite tell if it was in relief or defeat.

"What does this mean?" Aokiji asked dejectedly, staring down at the floor between his feet.

Franky rushed toward Robin and pulled the pistol out of her hands.

"I couldn't let you do it," Robin stammered, staring at Aokiji helplessly. "I couldn't just sit here and let you kill him."

Aokiji squeezed his eyes shut. "I thought I was doing what was best for you. All these years I've watched you, I came to love you. But I saw how much damage the unkind situations you've gone through have hurt you, and I thought I was the only one who could free you from all that. I wanted to help you overcome all of the trauma that's been built up over the years. And I thought one way to protect you is to stop this man from lying to you—"

"What I said wasn't a lie," Franky interrupted forcefully. He glared at Aokiji, who was still slumped on the floor. "I understand exactly what you're saying. I've had a lot of thoughts like that, too. But see, the difference between you and me is that I'm going to give her a _choice_."

He grabbed Robin's hand and looked her in the eyes. "I know you've been though a hell of a lot, and you don't want me or anybody else to know about a lot of it. But if you ever want to—well, I'm in love with you, Nico Robin, and I know that's not gonna change no matter what say.

"I know that me having these feelings has got to be hard for you. I kept telling myself to stop, to ignore it, and _I just_ _can't_."

Franky looked at her face the entire time he spoke, but she could not return his gaze. Though she stared at the ground, he could see that she was listening carefully, so he continued.

"I'm hoping you'll come back—whether it's to be with me or not, at least to return to the crew… I'd like to just be near you." Franky glanced at Aokiji for a moment. "But if you love this guy, and he's who you want to be with, then fine—even if it kills me inside, I won't stop you." He gently brushed the hair back from her face. "It's your choice."

He started at her face a moment longer, praying that it would not be the last time he saw her. Then he turned away and walked toward the door.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going with him," Robin choked. Franky stopped when she spoke, his back to her, and felt his heart sink. He could not respond right away, as he tried to hold back the tears filling his eyes.

Then, to his surprise, Aokiji responded to her.

"Is that really your response, Robin?" he stammered, unsuccessful at masking the tremble in his voice.

Franky whirled around in surprise, and realized that her tearful apology was directed at the admiral, not at him.

"It is," she replied, a bit more forceful than before.

Aokiji sighed dejectedly and stared down at the ground for a moment. Then he reluctantly pulled himself to his feet. "Very well, then."

He looked at Robin with a profoundly tragic expression on his face. "This doesn't change the feelings I've come to have for you. If you should ever change your mind..." he trailed off.

His gaze shifted to Franky, and any warmth he had toward Robin vanished, replaced with animosity. His cold stare bore into him, and after a few moments, Franky nodded with understanding. Aokiji did not need to speak for him to understand the warning behind his intimidating gaze.

With that, Franky and Robin left. Although Franky had a flood of thoughts and emotions he wanted to convey to her, he remained silent, and they barely spoke on the long trek back to the Thousand Sunny.

* * *

><p>"Robin!" Chopper cried out happily, as she and Franky stepped into the dining hall. Everyone was just sitting down to dinner.<p>

"Robin-chwaaaan!" Sanji called out, popping out of the kitchen entryway. "Let me get your plate right away! I saved one of the best portions for you."

"You two were gone an awfully long time," Nami commented. "We were starting to get a little bit worried."

Robin laughed lightly. "I just lost track of time while wandering around the town."

"Well, it's not like you're the only person who was missing for hours on end." She shot an irritated glance in Zoro's direction. "We just found him a little bit ago. He never even told anyone he was leaving."

The dinner went on, as normally and cheerfully as ever. As Franky left the dining hall, he passed Sanji, who was clearing away the last of the dishes.

For a moment, Sanji made eye contact with Franky, and acknowledged him with a nod. He said nothing, but Franky knew that Sanji understood that something more had happened.

Then Franky went to his workshop. His body was exhausted, but he could tell it would be awhile before he was able to get any rest. As much as he wanted to wander around the ship, in hopes that Robin would also be unable to sleep, he resisted. She was probably even more exhausted than he from the events of the day, and even though she had decided not to leave with Aokiji, it did not mean that she necessarily reciprocated Franky's feelings. He had no idea where he stood with her.

The hours ticked by, until at some point, Franky became aware that he was being watched. He turned around uneasily—and there Robin sat, seated in her usual chair near the corner of the room, watching him intently.

He met her gaze. "Nico Robin," he murmured.

"Franky," she responded, an apprehensive smile fluttering across her lips.

After a few moments, when it was too intense for him to keep looking into her brilliant eyes, he cast his gaze on the floor. "I'm glad you came," he said, breaking the silence. Slowly, he stood up and walked toward her, until he was only a few strides away.

"I had been sitting on the deck for quite some time, hoping you would come," she told him. "But after awhile, I realized perhaps I should come to you first, to let you know that it's not my desire for you to avoid me."

"I'm glad," he smiled nervously.

"I'm afraid this is as bold of a move as I can make right now, though," Robin said softly. "The rest is up to you."

Franky looked at her hesitantly, and tried to figure out what she wanted him to do next. Her expression was unreadable. Slowly, he took a few more steps until he was standing right in front of her. Then he knelt on the ground before her, and grasped her hands in his.

"_I'm so glad you're back_," he whispered. He pressed his forehead against her hands, and held them there, so that his head was almost in her lap.

"I'm an idiot for not realizing what was really up when I first heard that idiot marine talking to you. And I'm an even bigger idiot for the way I had to tell you about how I feel about you—but I'm just so relieved you're here." He squeezed her hands tightly, not wanting to let go.

She leaned down until her face was right next to his, her cheek just barely touching his. He let go of her hands, and reached out toward her, pulling her close to him. After a long embrace, he pulled away slightly so that he could look at her.

"I hope you're not too angry with me," he smiled.

"Angry for what?"

"For… for the stuff I said earlier."

"You said a great deal of things to me earlier. Is there something specific you're referring to?" She smiled playfully, cocking her head to one side.

He chuckled. He was happy that even after everything she had been through, she still had it in her to be coy.

"Well, I was talking about saying I love you… But come to think of it, I kind of hope you're not mad about anything I said."

Robin smiled. It was a bit apprehensively, but it was a smile nonetheless. Franky started to lean in toward her without realizing it. He stopped just inches away from her lips, not wanting to upset her. Her smile had faded, but he noticed that her lips had parted just slightly, as though she was expecting the kiss. Hesitating no longer, he leaned in further, until his lips were against hers.

It was filled with the same electrifying feeling as the first time. He had never felt such an invigorating kiss. Maybe it was love, or chemistry, or a byproduct of the stressful events of the day, but whatever it was, he hoped she felt it too. At the very least, this time, she didn't pull away.


End file.
